France will cover the roads with photovoltaic panels

Last year, we had the opportunity to learn about road surface coverage, a special type of photovoltaic cell. The French office found that the concept was worth checking out in real terms and announced the launch of tests on public roads.

The Achilles’ heel of photovoltaic cells is their low efficiency, and to get a reasonable amount of energy it is necessary to occupy larger areas, which is not always possible. There is a large area that can be used this way, and they are … expensive. Last year, the concept of covering them with a special type of panel was introduced, which would generate electricity and at the same time in no way worsen the driving conditions.

The French government has liked this idea and plans to implement it. Minister of the Environment Ségolene Royal announced that within the next five years, the panels will be located on 1000 km of national roads. Estimates of project enthusiasts speak to as many as five million citizens whose electricity demand would be met in this way.